Cavalry FC sign four young local talents

Tommy Wheeldon, general manager and head coach for the Cavalry FC premier league soccer team, stands next to what will be the team's new home field at Spruce Meadows on Wednesday June 6, 2018 Gavin Young/Postmedia Gavin Young / Postmedia

There’s now a real home-grown feel to Cavalry FC as it gets set for the Canadian Premier League’s inaugural season.

Calgarians Marco Carducci, Chris Serban, Dominick Zator and Elijah Adekugbe were all announced as signings by the soccer squad Wednesday, and all four young talents will be essential towards the identity of the club and its culture as it approaches the opening season in April.

“These four signings represent our recruitment strategy whereby we are identifying local talent first then national and international as we build out our squad,” said Cavalry FC head coach/GM Tommy Wheeldon Jr. “When creating a team from scratch, it is highly important to have people in the trenches with you that you trust and believe in.

“These four players, grew up here in Calgary and are proud to be amongst the first ever players signed in the history of Cavalry FC and who are hungry to fight for this City and write the history we are going to create here at Spruce Meadows.”

From his establishment through McKenzie United community soccer and Calgary Villains program, Caducci left home as a 14-year old to pursue his dreams of playing professional soccer later landing on the Vancouver Whitecaps roster.

“Marco is a highly talented goalkeeper and one who is perfect for the style of play we are looking to develop with the Cavalry,” Wheeldon Jr. said. “His future is still waiting to be written, and we want to be a part of his journey, as he has made his intentions clear that he wants to complete his journey and play for the full Canada National team, having represented them at (under-)17, U-20 and U-23 levels. Aside from his talent, Marco is a great ambassador for our club and this community.”

Also rising through the Calgary Villains Club, Serban, left home at 16 after a brief spell with Calgary Chinooks to pursue his professional aspirations with the Whitecaps. While on the coast, Chris represented the U Sports’ UBC Thunderbirds as he combined his studies with playing on the Whitecaps 2 team.

“Chris is a highly rated attacking fullback that has represented Canada at U-20 and U-23 levels,” Wheeldon Jr. said. “He is honest, hard working and humble off the pitch but packs a tenacious punch and plays on the front foot when on the pitch. He suits how we want to play as a team, along with the type of character we want representing the Cavalry crest.”

Zator developed from ages 11-18 in Calgary Foothills Soccer Club. He captained the Calgary Dinos men’s soccer team whilst combining his summer seasons with the Foothills PDL team.

“Dominick is a modern centre back that is quick and athletic on the ground, good in 1v1 duals and very comfortable with bringing the ball out of the back,” said Wheeldon Jr. “He is also a great example of staying the course and playing the long game in that he was a late bloomer that was never selected for any provincial or national youth team programs but concentrated on his club soccer and school. It’s his intelligence that makes him the player we want in our club as he is very cerebral and calculated in his decision making.”

Born in Manchester, England, Elijah Adekugbe moved to Calgary as an eight year old and began his development at age nine with Foothills until 18 years of age. His university years were spent with the Trinity Western Spartans on a soccer scholarship, whilst returning to Calgary during the summer months to play for Foothills FC in the PDL.

“Elijah is what this league is all about, giving young Canadians a chance,” said Wheeldon Jr. “He is someone I have had the pleasure of working with for over 10 years now, and I’ve watched him grow as a player and a person. He is a highly technical midfielder that likes to keep his team in possession, almost like a point-guard would in basketball. He’s a hard-working person and a studious player that just needs a platform to grow.”

This Week's Flyers

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.